


Clumsy Legs

by HisFavoriteDarkAngel



Category: Borderlands (Video Games), Tales from the Borderlands - Fandom
Genre: ;-;, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anyways, Company Setting, I am a fool, I'm sorry I haven't updated anything in years and only suddenly posted this but, In the end i think this is sweet, It might be the night chemicals kicking me arse but I feel proud of this one, Jack is a jerk, M/M, Rhys has a prosthetic arm and eye, Trans!Handsome Jack, aaaaugh, boy i sure do love tagging my life and feelings out, how am i going to deeeeaaaal, i hope this makes someone smile atleast, i just thought of jark, i skipped sleep to write this, idk - Freeform, im going to the rodeo early tomorrow, keep me in your noodle prayers, might change my mind come painful morning, terrible pun, thanks to those reading lol, trans!Rhys, yehaw and cry i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-17
Updated: 2019-03-17
Packaged: 2019-11-21 11:35:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18141656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HisFavoriteDarkAngel/pseuds/HisFavoriteDarkAngel
Summary: Jack is tasked with showing the new employee around.





	Clumsy Legs

**Author's Note:**

> Heyoooo, it's your friendly sleep-deprived noodle. I made this with the intent of helping to cheer someone up, and truth be told, I had no idea for any of it other than to have trans Jack, but as I started with that rough idea, my mind blew me (lol. double joke whammy on that one). I like this fic and I think it's super sweet. I really hope I do the characters justice.

Jack was having a shit day.

 

He woke up sore and with a killer headache (after getting blackout drunk last night), had to skip breakfast, dealt with his asshole clients, and all before his dear coworker Nisha stopped him in his tracks to the coffee room to drop a newbie at his feet. Literally.

 

Jack recoiled but luckily did not spill any of the black liquid onto his shirt. He gave Nisha his most spiteful glare all morning.

 

She rolled her eyes and glared back. “He’s a new assistant manager. Everyone’s left to get breakfast tacos, and I’m sick of babysitting him. Your turn.”

 

Jack was not having it.

 

“Do you realize how much work I have today? How much walking I’m going to do? I need to go check on Timothy’s progress with our report, then I have to overlook the Angel Project’s data to-“

Nisha’s eyes sharpened, and she uttered a single word that held him captive.

 

“Unicorn.”

 

…. **_Bitch_**.

 

Biting back a retort, he forced himself to submit whilst cursing his drunken trust of her. “Never speak of it again, and I’ll do it.”

 

Her lips quirked and she gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Whatever you say, ButtStallion.”

 

He watched her leave, deciding to ignore the sounds of his subordinate picking himself off the floor, but eventually had to turn and face him to make things clear.

 

“Okay, this is how it’s going to work. You will follow me and say nothing. I will go to where I need to go, and if I’m feeling generous, I will point out places I feel you need to know. Don’t annoy me. Don’t say anything. I’m very irritated today and could very easily fire you. Understand?”

 

He looked up at the new worker, realizing he was taller than him (adding to his annoyance), and that he was… not normal.

 

He was as fidgety and anxious as every recruit, but as he brought his arms close to his chest and looked away from Jack’s eyes, Jack’s quick mind analyzed the movements that didn’t seem natural.

 

His right hand was black with a metallic sheen, and his left eye couldn’t move as fast or far as his other when he began looking around. He recognized them both.

 

_Prosthetics…_

 

He ignored his employee’s flustered attempts to agree, and quickly spun and started walking towards his first destination, not wanting to show his surprise. _So that’s the type of people we’re hiring now?_ Jack’s mind reeled, his sentiments mixing into a fucked cocktail of awe, disgust, and more annoyance at the inconvenience.

 

He was fuming so much, it wasn’t until they got to the elevator that he realized he never bothered to ask what his name was. In true Jack fashion, he decided he didn’t really care to know it. Nickname it is, he decided, boredly glancing back at the assistant manager nervously fixing the cuff of his right sleeve. As his eyes trailed, he briefly considered naming him after his robotic arm or hetero-chromatic eyes, but the spite wasn’t in him today. He looked down and made his decision.

 

“Keep close, _Legs_.”

 

They spent the day relatively in silence as Legs kept to the agreement. Even while Jack yelled at his employees, stomped ahead, or screamed in the elevator, Rhys barely made a squeak, and kept his eyes away from Jack’s.

 

They were finally able to get to Jack’s office around lunchtime, and the CEO was absolutely ready to call it a day.

 

“Alright, you did well today in keeping your trap shut. Get me a fresh cup of coffee and you can go back to Nisha and tell her you’re done for the day.”

 

Legs gaped at him with wide eyes before giving a curt nod and leaving to get his drink. Jack leaned on his desk and picked up the latest stack of numbers from his sales team. He was engrossed in their analytics when the worker showed up again. Without a word, Legs walked up to him, and extended his arm to offer it to Jack. He failed to feel it slipping from his grasp until it hit Jack square in his chest.

 

“MOTHERFUCKING- **_WHAT_**?!”

 

Jack jumped at the sudden splash of warmth that was quickly followed with a gross wetness going down his stomach. Legs was LUCKY it wasn’t burning hot.

 

He still earned a glower as he tried to place a bunch of paper towels onto his boss’s chest. His silence was broken as a string of “I’m sorrys” erupted from his mouth. Jack pushed him aside.

 

“For your sake, I hope you know where the closest dry cleaners are.” Once again, Legs could only nod like his life depended on it.

 

Jack took off his shirt with a loud groan and threw it at his assistant.

 

“Have it be washed IMMEDIATELY. I want it back before I get out of my office!”

 

He barely took a step to get an extra shirt when he heard the newbie gasp. He felt eyes rake across his chest. Fuck it all to hell, Jack forgot the newbie was a _NEWBIE_. He wasn't familiar with Jack _at all_. Every bit of his irritation of the day turned to fury, and his shoulders tensed up. He finally had another reason to release tension.

 

HE NEEDED THIS.

 

He turned back, chest bare and mouth firm as he pinned his subordinate with his stare. “You got something to say?”

 

Legs shook his head and began to back away.

 

Jack wasn’t having it.

 

“Oh no, you did such a good job staying quiet all day. I think it’s only fair to let you share your thoughts now.” He took two big strides over to Legs and commanded it. “Speak.”

 

Leg’s right eye was frantic again, trying to find some sort of escape while his left eye tried to follow. Only noises came out of his mouth and it was frustrating as hell.

 

“LOOK AT ME GODDAMMIT.”

 

Legs’s whole body flinched at the outburst, but his eyes were finally looking directly at Jack’s.

 

“Now tell me.”

 

To his surprise, a giant blush began to spread.

 

“I-I just um… I’m kind of…. _that_ …. too… and…"

 

_"That?"_

 

Jack was so preoccupied with staring at his face that he missed the shirt buttons being undone until it was brought to his attention.

 

" _This..._ "

 

Legs hung his head and spread his shirt.

 

Jack saw them. The same scars, with one hidden under a big blue tattoo that looked like a… paw?

 

“And like…. You see…”

 

Jack’s irritation was beating his bewilderment, and he once again raised his voice. “Just spit it out already, are you mocking me kid?!”

 

**_“No!”_ **

 

Fuck. Now Legs looked like he wanted to cry. Shit.

 

“LOOK! IT’S JUST THAT I REALLY ADMIRE YOU AND I’VE ALWAYS LOOKED UP TO YOU AND WORKING HERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY DREAM AND NOW THAT I GOT THE JOB I DON’T JUST GET TO FINALLY MEET YOU IN PERSON BUT IT TURNS OUT THAT YOU’RE TRANS TOO AND THAT’S JUST FUCKING… WOW, I-"

 

Legs was choked up. He pushed his hair back up and tried wiping at his eye leaking a tear.

 

“It’s so wow…. You know? You’re so…. Cool!”

 

Jack was back to feeling perplexed.

 

His anger had somewhat dissipated, but it was replaced with a lot of mixed emotions.

 

He decided it was easier to focus on one thing.

 

This kid idolized him?

 

Alright.

 

He decided he liked _that_.

 

He looked back down at Legs’s scars and noticed his still wet shirt being crumpled in his arms.

 

He decided he didn’t like that.

 

Jack walked back to his desk to get the extra shirt he was originally after. He waved off the new employee. “Get to work. Like I said, I want that shirt back in an hour!”

 

He sat in his chair and pulled up his laptop, smiling at the distressed sound of limbs flying out of his office. While continuing to check on the progress of Project Angel, he decided to pull up Legs’s employee profile.

 

Rhys, eh?

 

Jack also decided he liked that name.


End file.
